Bishops Park's Wartime Stories - Air Raid Shelters and Home Front History
Tucked beneath the familiar pathways of Bishops Park lie stories that shaped our beloved neighbourhood forever. During the Second World War, this green space that we know today for weekend picnics and children's laughter served as a lifeline for hundreds of Fulham families seeking shelter from the Blitz.
Underground Sanctuary
The network of air raid shelters beneath Bishops Park was constructed in 1940, designed to protect up to 800 local residents during bombing raids. These underground tunnels stretched from near the current children's playground towards Putney Bridge, creating a subterranean community that reflected Fulham's trademark spirit of looking after one another.
Local historian Margaret Thornton, who has lived on Bishops Avenue for over sixty years, recalls her grandmother's stories of the shelter nights. "She always said it was like a village underground," Margaret explains. "People from Stevenage Road, Fulham Palace Road, and all around would gather with their blankets and flasks. The children would sleep while the adults played cards and shared whatever food they had."
Community Spirit in Dark Times
The shelters weren't just about survival - they became the heart of wartime community life. Families from the terraced streets around Bishops Park, including those from Broomhouse Lane and the cottages near All Saints Church, would arrive each evening as the sirens sounded. Regular activities included:
- Storytelling circles for the children
- Impromptu concerts featuring local musicians
- Knitting groups making socks for soldiers
- Shared meals using whatever ingredients families could spare
These gatherings created bonds that lasted long after the war ended, with many shelter friendships continuing for decades in the pubs along Fulham High Street and at the weekly markets.
Exploring the History Today
While the original shelters are no longer accessible to the public for safety reasons, their legacy lives on through various ways you can explore this fascinating chapter of Fulham's story.
Fulham Palace Museum
The museum, housed in the beautiful Tudor courtyard just steps from the park, features a dedicated Home Front exhibition running until March 2024. Open Wednesday to Sunday, 12pm to 5pm, admission is free though donations are welcomed. The collection includes personal items found in the shelter areas, wartime recipes from local families, and photographs showing the park during the 1940s.
Family-friendly interactive displays allow children to experience what it might have been like to spend a night underground, complete with replica bunks and authentic sounds from the period. The museum also hosts monthly "Shelter Stories" sessions on the first Saturday of each month at 2pm, where local residents share family memories passed down through generations.
Walking Tours
The Fulham Historical Society runs guided walks every second Sunday at 10am, meeting at the Bishops Park cafe. These gentle 90-minute tours cost £8 for adults and £3 for children, with family tickets available for £18. The route includes the shelter entrances (now sealed but marked with information plaques), the warden post location near Fulham Football Club, and stops at houses on Stevenage Road that still show blast damage repairs.
Booking is essential during school holidays and can be done through the Fulham Historical Society website or by calling into the museum. Tours run in all weather, so comfortable shoes and a waterproof jacket are recommended.
Hidden Reminders
Sharp-eyed visitors can still spot wartime remnants throughout the area. The brick walls along Bishops Avenue feature filled-in sections where shelter entrances once stood. Near the tennis courts, a memorial plaque honours the six Fulham residents who lost their lives when a direct hit struck nearby Broomhouse Lane in November 1940.
The large plane trees that provide such welcome shade today were planted in 1947 as a living memorial to the community spirit that flourished even in the darkest hours. Local children from Fulham Primary School helped with the original planting, creating a bridge between the wartime generation and the post-war families who would rebuild the neighbourhood.
Making It a Family Day
Combine your historical exploration with a classic Bishops Park family day. The playground equipment sits roughly where families once queued for shelter entry each evening. Pack a picnic to enjoy by the Thames afterwards, or grab fish and chips from Kerbisher & Malt on New Kings Road for a proper local feast.
The nearby Fulham Palace gardens provide another lovely stop, especially in spring when the daffodils bloom in the same spots where victory gardens once grew vegetables for the community pot.
These wartime stories remind us that Fulham's greatest strength has always been its people looking out for each other, whether during the Blitz or simply helping a neighbour with their weekly shop.
